Mt. Lebanon votes to allow dogs in Twin Hills Park

By Eric Seiverling

For The Almanac

writer@thealmanac.net

Since 1995, dogs were not allowed in Mt. Lebanon’s Twin Hills Park, an ordinance considered by many residents and officials as an oversight. So much so, that even the municipality installed a station for pet waste bags. Recently, a sign installed at the park stating that dogs were prohibited raised eyebrows and the ire of residents who used the park to walk their pets.

But at the April 22 commission meeting, commissioners put an end to the confusion and voted unanimously to permit dogs in Twin Hills Park.

“This is clearly correcting our mistake,” commissioner Dave Brumfield said. “But this is not a final statement on how we view dogs.”

Dogs are prohibited from all other Mt. Lebanon parks except Robb Hollow and Bird parks.

Commissioner Kristen Linfante was also quick to point out that dogs in Twin Hills must comply with the ordinance that regulates the two other parks.

“All animals must be on a leash,” she said. “That is something that is enforced in all our parks and it will continue with this ordinance.”

Problems arose in the past from residents from neighboring communities, such as Scott Township, bringing their dogs into the park, and the possibility of expanding Mt. Lebanon’s borders was brought up by residents. But that idea was quickly shot down by solicitor Philip Weis, who stated that border changes are limited to community mergers or creating a new borough.

“That process has gotten more and more difficult over the years,” he said.

The decision to allow dogs at Twin Hills Park was met favorably by residents.

“The people I know at the park are super citizens,” resident Ken Nowacki said. “They take good care of the place.”